The most popular technical sponsors in the top 5 European leagues

The top European leagues - Serie A, Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga - have only just started a few weeks ago, making it very difficult to predict the final standings. As always, these leagues promise to be competitive and full of surprises. But even though August is not yet over, we can already compile a ranking that, barring any dramatic changes, will likely remain unchanged until May. We’re talking about the ranking of the most popular technical sponsors in the top 5 European leagues. Analyzing the top 5 European leagues, PUMA leads the special ranking by sponsoring 17 clubs across Serie A, Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga. The second position is shared by the domestic brand adidas along with Nike: both sponsor 16 clubs in the major European leagues. The podium has changed significantly from last season, when adidas, Nike, and PUMA sponsored 15, 14, and 12 teams, respectively.

Looking at the ranking we have compiled - where we chose to include only the technical sponsors that support more than one European team - it is important to note that the first brand outside the podium, Joma, sponsors exactly half as many clubs as adidas and Nike, demonstrating the economic power and reputation still enjoyed by these two sportswear giants, especially when considering the last thirty years of football. Similar to last season, Nike and adidas continue to dominate the top European clubs, excluding Milan, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund, which remain under PUMA's aegis. Umbro's strategy remains unchanged as it stays within British borders by sponsoring Bournemouth, Brentford, West Ham, and Luton Town—reducing its roster compared to last season—with the only exception being Rayo Vallecano. Two other key players in the sponsorship ranking are Hummel and Mizuno, with 5 and 3 clubs sponsored respectively. There is only one Italian club, Lazio, sponsored by Mizuno, while Hummel has no presence in Italy but strengthens its presence in Spain with sponsorships for Celta Vigo, Las Palmas, and Real Betis Balompié.

It can also be noted from the ranking that Castore "survives," still sponsoring 4 clubs despite a significant reduction from the previous season, when it sponsored seven. The poor quality of products from the British company has led three clubs to switch, including Wolverhampton, which opted for a partnership with the running brand Sudu, a completely new name in the football sponsorship landscape and one that might emerge as a surprising brand in the coming years. In fact, it was also a season that opened the door to new players such as NOCTA on the Venezia jersey, whose formalisation came unexpectedly and which will be evaluated in the coming seasons after Kappa's work alongside the creative studio Bureau Borsche.